Job Title: Facilities Manager - Soft Services
Location: Burntwood
Hours: Full-time, permanent, 35 hours per week
Salary: £33,000 per annum DOE
Reports to: Maintenance Manager
About the role
The Soft Services Manager is responsible for leading, coordinating, and monitoring all soft services delivery across the Busy Bees estate. This includes cleaning, grounds maintenance, pest control and waste services.
The role ensures all centre-facing services are delivered to high standards, remain compliant, minimise disruption, and provide a safe, clean, and welcoming environment for children, parents, and staff. This is a really opportunity to make a difference.
About Busy Bees
Founded in 1983, Busy Bees is the UK’s largest childcare provider and the third largest globally, there has never been a more exciting time to join our growing team.
At Busy Bees, we offer a supportive, collaborative environment where your career can thrive. From competitive pay to ongoing professional development, you’ll be part of a company that truly invests in its people.
Why You’ll Love Working with Us
We offer an exceptional range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing and career development:
* Sector-leading family leave, including enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay
* Smart Hive – our 24/7 employee benefits platform with retail, travel, and cinema discounts
* Childcare discounts
* Your birthday off every year
* Health and wellbeing support, including our Employee Assistance Programme, Peppy, and Mental Health apps
* Professional development through our in-house training academy and access to further qualifications
What You’ll Be Doing
* Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of soft services across all Busy Bees settings.
* Oversee cleaning standards, schedules, materials, audit processes, and ensure compliance with hygiene requirements in childcare environments.
* Manage grounds maintenance contracts, ensuring outdoor spaces are safe, well-maintained, and child friendly.
* Coordinate pest control programmes across the estate, ensuring preventative measures and rapid response to issues.
* Oversee waste management contracts, ensuring safe disposal, recycling practices, and environmental compliance.
* Act as first-line escalation point for cleaning concerns, pests, landscape issues.
* Manage and triage incoming queries from centres efficiently, providing solutions or contractor instructions.
* Monitor and analyse recurring issues, implementing root-cause improvements.
* Manage relationships with all soft-service providers.
* Monitor performance for each contract area through KPIs, SLAs, and regular review meetings.
* Ensure all providers adhere to Busy Bees standards, safeguarding requirements, and health & safety legislation.
* Assist with minor facilities duties when required, such as ensuring deliveries are correctly handled and distributed.
* Directly support the day-to-day function of the National Support Centre (NSC), including distribution of post and ensuring staff & visitor facilities and refreshments are available, stocked and running efficiently.
* To support the National Support effectively, 3-4 days in the office would be expected.
* Arrange and assist with ad hoc meeting and events for NSC teams.
* Ensure all soft services comply with industry regulations, safeguarding expectations, and health and safety standards.
* Maintain documentation associated with cleaning chemicals, COSHH, pest treatment plans, and security procedures.
* Conduct regular audits of centres to ensure adherence to Busy Bees soft-service policies.
Skills & Experience We’re Looking For
Essential
* Experience managing soft services in a multi-site, regulated, or high-traffic operational environment.
* Strong understanding of cleaning standards, pest control practices, grounds maintenance, and waste protocols.
* Contractor management experience with the ability to challenge performance and drive service improvements.
* Excellent communication and organisational skills.
* Ability to manage high volumes of operational queries in a calm, structured manner.
* Competent with digital systems, including auditing tools and sign-in/compliance platforms.
* Desirable but not essential, IWFM qualification (Level 3 or above) or equivalent soft services/facilities certification.
* Health & Safety training (e.g., IOSH Managing Safely).
* Experience supporting childcare, education, or safeguarding environments.
* High attention to detail and commitment to maintaining safe, clean environments.